


Point of Pride

by Dr4conianlaw



Category: Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: Gen, Nonbinary Character, horobi and jin show up too but this aint about them, missing scene for 32
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:21:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23775259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dr4conianlaw/pseuds/Dr4conianlaw
Summary: Naki circles around an idea.
Relationships: Naki&Fuwa Isamu
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	Point of Pride

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place mid-episode 32, as Fuwa once more gets jumpscared.
> 
> Stella, thanks so much for beta help!

Naki found themself, rather suddenly, in control again. Hmm. What were Horobi and Jin doing here? The pair had them surrounded, and the space didn’t really give them room to sidestep them.

This was…

...Not exactly a good time.

“Get out of my way. I need to find Delmo.”

“Huh? Naki? Is that… you?” Jin sounded hopeful, but unsure.

Horobi was grinning, and his arms were wide open despite the cramped location. “Naki. I see your command over your vessel has improved.”

“Please don’t do anything inconvenient. I require Vulcan right now.”

“Aaaah?” Jin had his hand on their shoulder, and was walking around to face them. “Naki, you sure? Because I just want to help you--”

“--I don’t have time to waste right now. This will do.”

Jin glanced sideways at Horobi. “Uh... I mean, they do seem more sure than they were before...”

Naki saw Horobi’s LEDs glow with his connection to the satellite. “...The Ark permits it.”

Convenient. Naki nodded, and took their leave out the door Fuwa had entered. Now, where had they left off? Naki started to check the building’s blueprints in their head, ready to begin a much more methodical scan--

\--And was jerked to a stop. Oh. Fuwa had linked his arm around a pole they were passing and was now gripping it so hard that his knuckles were going white.

Naki pulled, but Fuwa’s grip was stubborn. Hmm. “What are you doing? Weren’t you searching for Delmo too?”

“I-- well, why the hell are you looking for her?!”

...Why were they looking for her? Did they… somehow get caught up in Fuwa’s search? She was likely in danger, yes. But if the president or his human tool were there, then would they have to…?

And now Naki was holding tight to the pole too, hit by another wave of splitting pain.

Spasming with the same pain, Fuwa’s voice was definitely more of a growl. “I won’t let you hurt her!”

/ _...Okay. Don’t let me hurt her, then._ /

They stood there, arm wrapped around the pole. Many of the stats that made up the vital signs of this body had been spiking all day; an increased heart rate, increased adrenaline, and more of the such. From what Naki knew of human physiology, they were rather glad that they didn’t have to personally feel these effects.

But, as they stood still, Fuwa’s breathing began to steady. His grasp on the pole slowly shifted from a death grip, to holding onto it as a support.

/ _Delmo’s dream is interesting, isn’t it?_ /

Fuwa immediately stiffened again, although not quite to the same degree as before. Had he thought they had gone? They were just thinking. Fuwa’s object permanence seemed poor. 

He eventually picked up on the fact that they were waiting on a reply, though. “...Sure.”

/ _She pursues it, even though it will likely lead to her destruction._ /

“...Hah. Yeah, she’s stubborn.” The phrasing may have been negative, but the way he said it spoke more of respect, of an edge of pride.

Pride. Delmo was prideful too, Naki had assumed that was also a human trait, not for tools. / _She is able to act that way because she has a dream, then?_ /

“...Something like that, I guess.”

Suddenly, Naki felt as though they had talked themselves in a circle. Of course. These were impossible ideas, and their programming should be good enough to detect such a logic loop and terminate it.

But. There was a gravity to it all.

Oh, here was a change. Fuwa’s vital signs were leveling out. Somehow, the topic must have made him much calmer, even though it yielded no real results.

Perhaps he’d be more suggestible to continue the search now? Except, _why did they still want to continue the search_? Did they really want to find Delmo, despite the inherent danger, or… _What_ were they trying to find?

Not Delmo, but her dream. Her dream that was in danger, and also endangers her. And not Delmo’s dream, but...

There’s something they need to know, but nobody’s bothered to explain. / _How do you find a dream?_ /

There was a pause, before a sudden firm answer from Fuwa. “I will.”

...What? What? / _That’s… no, I asked how._ /

“Doesn’t matter. I will.” Fuwa even straightened some as he said it, at least as much as was possible while still partially wrapped around a pole.

What a nonsense nonanswer. Stubborn. And definitely prideful.

...Wait.

The logic loop. Were they thinking of the wrong entrance place? Not ‘Delmo’s dream allows her to be stubborn,’ but ‘Delmo’s stubbornness allows her to dream.’

They have a vague theory of the actions someone would have to take in order to be stubborn. As unthinkable as it is, the idea is still simple enough, just… do the opposite of what they’re supposed to. It’s not been an appealing option, only one that would lead to pain, would be pointless in the end as they gave in.

But… if there was a point to it. If it somehow lead to a dream, and if a dream, like Jin said, would mean freedom…

...This was a very uncertain thing that they were considering.

They let go of the pole, and started walking forward.

/ _Hey, wait, where are you…!_ / Despite obvious alarm from Fuwa, there was no immediate attempt to take back control, perhaps taken too off guard. Convenient.

“There’s something I need to try, for myself.” They grabbed Assault Wolf. They would need the clarity of the key that is _theirs_ , or the entire premise of what they’re about to attempt would be canceled out. “...But please be ready, okay?”

They didn’t get a response at that, so much as a confused jumble of… well, a jumble. Fuwa surely didn’t need to use this many emotions at once, and they didn’t have time to unpack everything involved.

Somewhere in there, though… was a cautious watchfulness? That would work.

They continued, picking up speed.

An open door that lead to nowhere. A bizarre architectural choice. But looking outside and down, they could see a fight between the president, his raider, and Zero One.

They aimed forwards, shot, and leaped.


End file.
